The 5 best romance novels of 2017

The romance genre's best-loved trope is the enemies-to-lovers tale. Lauren adds her own twist to this story line with Evie and Carter, rival Hollywood agents. They discover they're perfect for each other just days before they find themselves competing for the same position in their newly merged company. At turns hilarious and gut-wrenching, this is a tremendously fun slow-burn of a romance.

When professional dancer Gina Morales sets out for the Alaskan wilderness to meet her celebrity partner for "The Dance Off" (a fictional "Dancing With the Stars"), she discovers a bearded woodcutter named Stone Nielson. He has no interest in dancing, but Gina has a plan. This is a case of extreme opposites attracting: Gina is a hilarious city girl, and Stone is a stoic mountain man with a secret.

Armentrout's new romantic suspense series begins with the story of Sasha, a woman who narrowly escaped a serial killer a decade ago. Upon her return home, a copycat killer — chillingly called the Groom — resurfaces, and Sasha is immediately in danger. This time, however, she's no child, and neither is Cole, the boy she'd loved when she left town. He's now an FBI agent willing to do anything to protect her.

In this Georgian-era romance, Theo Swann is the proprietor of a paper that publishes personal ads. When Martin St. Vincent, a free black Englishman, arrives at the paper's offices in search of a young woman and the rake with whom she's eloped, Theo seizes the opportunity to sell information about the couple and accompany Martin on his quest. Of course, carriages and close quarters bring the two men closer together.

The hero of "Wicked Abyss" is the thousands-of-years-old Abyssian "Sian" Infernas — a demon with the power to create and destroy worlds. His infinite power should make him a matchless hero, but Cole presents him with Lila Barbot, a lost princess who wields even greater power. What's more, Sian's passion for her stems from her ability to hold that power.